buckingham



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

0. L. BUOKINGHAM & H. O. TOWNSEND.

OUT-OUT FOR ELEOTRIG LAMPS.

N0 293,943. 7 Patented Feb. 19,1884..

gii y M N. PETERS. Fllnloldhagmphcr. Wnihmglcm D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. L. BUOKINGHAM & H. G. TOWNSEND.

GUT-OUT FOR ELEOTRIG LAMPS.

Patented Feb. 19,1884.

CHARLES L. BUCKINGHAM AND HENRY O. TO WB SEND, OF NEiV YORK, N. Y.

CUT-OUT FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,943,

dated February 19, 1884.

Application filed August 15, 1883. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHAS. HAM and HENRY O. TOWNSEND, citizens of the i United States, and residents of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Out-Outs for Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

.Our invention relates to automatic or safety cutout apparatus, so called, designed for use with electric lamps or other translating devices for the purpose of completing a branch or safety circuit around the lamp in case the resistance thereof should become 1 5 abnormally high, so as to preserve the general circuit upon which said lamp or other apparatus is worked.

Our invention consists, broadly, in the combination of a controlling electric magnet or coil in the direct or principal circuit, with the electric lamp or other translating apparatus, a safety branch-circuit closer of any suitable kind controlled thereby, and means for inter- "mitte'ntl'y completing a derived circuit around said electro-magnet and electric lamp, so that in case the electric lamp offers an abnormallyhigh resistance a safety-circuit will be closed around said lamp, owing to the weakening of the controlling-magnet by the diversion from it of current through the intermittently-closed derived circuit of comparatively low resistance.

' Our invention consists, further, of certain novel combinations of apparatus for effecting the objects of the invention, the nature of which will be hereinafter described, and then specified in the claims.

One of the forms that our invention may take in practice is shown in the accompanying 4O drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation of an electric lamp, showing our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the electrical connections of the parts.

-A indicates the-frame or casing of the lamp, B the base-plate, and O O the usual side rods supporting thelower carbon and the in'closingglobe. In the present instance we have illus-. trated the application of the invention to a lamp the feed of whose carbon is controlled by the combined action of a main and derived L. BUOKING- circuit electromagnet and a clamp or clutch acting upon the carbon-carrier. D indicates an electro-magnet supported from a cross-bar, (Z, and placed in a derived circuit around the 5 5 carbons. E indicates the main circuit electromagnet, and E a pivoted armature of any suitable kind common to the electro-magnets D and E. G is a suitable clamp or clutch for lifting and controlling the downward movement of the upper-carbon carrier H, and a is a link or connecting-bar, by which it is connected with its operating-armature E. The operation of these parts, being well understood in the art, need not be described in detail.

Kindicates the electro-magnet which controls the closing of a branch or safety circuit for the carbons and other portions of the lamp in case the resistance at the are or other portion of the main or principal circuit through the lamp should become abnormally great. According to the method of carrying out our invention that is described in our present application, the branch or safety circuit controlled by said magnet is i'he intermittentlyclosed derived circuit around said magnet and the lamp, and said magnet acts to keep the derived circuit closed, in case its strength is weakened or diminished to a predetermined amount, by arresting the movement of the ap- 8o paratus for intermittently closing the circuit at the point of closure. This, however, is but one method of carrying out the invention, and we have, in another application for patents, described an arrangement wherein the branch or safety circuit is independent of the intermittentlyclosed derived circuit. The intermittent circuit-closer herein shown con sists of a revolving disk, b, upon which bears a spring, 0. The periphery of said disc is of insulating material, excepting at one point, where the spring 0 may make electrical contact, and thus completes the electrical connection to a spring, 6, bearing constantly on the conducting portion of the disk, and itself con- 9 5 nected with an artificial resistance, L, of any suitable kind, in the intermittently-closcd derived circuit. The circuit-closing disk I) is driven by any suitable power, and at such speed as to complete the circuit, say, once in thirty seconds, according to the nicety with which it is desired that the apparatus should bon,

work. \Vehave herein shown a retarded train of clock-work, upon an arbor of which the disk 5 is mounted. Said train may be operated by a coiled spring or other suitable power, and for the purpose of keeping the spring or weight wound up, We propose to employ an electro-magnet, M, placed in the intermittently-closed derived circuit, the armature-lever f ofwhich magnet-carries a pawl, g, engaging with a ratchet-wheel, h, upon the mainspring-arbor of the clock-train. The effect of this arrangement is to cause a rotation of the ratchet-disk h and the mainspring-arbor one toothfor every make and break of the derived circuit, including the electro magnet M, so that the mainspring, having been once wound, will be kept wound by the action of the magnet.

The mechanism for driving the circuit-closing disk d might be wound up by means of the rod or carrier H every time that the same is raised for the purpose of inserting a new carand we have, in another application for patent, described an arrangement whereby this may be effected. The circuitclosing apparatus described is but one of many that might be used for the same purpose, and we do not, therefore, in anywise limit ourselves to the construction of this portion of the combination forming our invention, the idea being only that a branch circuit shall be closed at intervals around controlling -magnet K. The electro-magnet K is, in the present case, made to arrest the movement of the intermittent circuit-closer at the circuit-closing point, and to thus provide a branch or safety circuit around the lamp by means of a stop, m, carried by the armature-lever k, and arranged to drop into the path of a stop-pin, 1, carried by the clock-train whenever at the time of closing the intermittent circuit the resistance in the main or principal circuit is unduly great, so that current is diverted. The main-circuit magnet K becomes so weak that the retractor p for its armature-lever may draw the stop on into the path of the pin 1, and thus arrest the movement of the clocktrain at a point where the spring 0 and the disk at will keep the circuit closed.

The main or principal circuit through the lamp is by conductor 8, conductor 5, electromagnet E, safety-magnet K, spring r, bearing on carbon-carrier H, the carbons of the lamp a, side rod, 0, insulated rod 7, and out, The electro-magnet D is in a derived circuit from con- (luctor 8 through conductor 9 to the insulated rod 7 The intermittently-closed derived circuit is through insulated rod 6, connected with conductor 5, insulated standard 6, spring a, disk 1), spring 6, artificial resistance 1, electromagnet M, insulated standard 7, and to'the negative main conductor marked This circuit is a branch around the safety-magnet K and the carbons of the lamp. It is a circuit not of high resistance, but of comparatively low resistance, and is intended to act as a shunt for the eleetro-magnet K, and by diverting current therefrom when the arc-resistance becomes abnormally high, to allow said electro-magn'ets armature or core to bring into operation or to close the safety or branch circuit around the carbon and other portions of the lamp. In order that the effect of closing such derived or short circuit may not seriously affect the operation of the lamp, we interpose the artificial resistance L, which is made such that the total resistance of the .intermittentlyclosed derived circuit shall be, say, four times that of the main or principal circuit through the lamp. We also make the duration of the closure of said circuit as small as possible, and may even limit such duration to a period of one-tenth of a second, as within such period the electro-magnet K will feel the effect of an abnormal diversion of current from it. We do not, however, limit ourselves to such period, but may increase or diminish the same. It is preferable, however, to make the interval as short as possible, in order to prevent undue waste of the current. The retractor p, for the armature of electromagnet K, is so adjusted that while the resistance in the general circuit produced by the arc, 8m, is normal, said armature will not be affected by the momentary closing of the shunt or derived circuit around it, but will hold its armature up, but if the arc become abnormally long, or from other cause the resistance of the general circuit in the lamp become abnormal, then, when the derived circuit .is momentarily closed, the magnet K will, by reason of such abnormal resistance, lose its power to such an extent that the retractor may draw back the armature so as to allow the formation of the branch or safety circuit, which is brought-about, in the present instance, by the engagement of the stop m with the pin 1, thus retaining the electrical connection between the spring a and the circuit-closing disk 12.

When the lamp is not in use, the intermittent circuitcloser and its operating-train are I locked by the stop m, so that the operatingtrain is prevented from running down. The carbons being in contact and the lamp ready for operation, the main-circuit magnet E and the magnet K will lift their armatures, there being, owing sufficient flow of current this purpose. The carrier H is thus lifted to form the arc, and the intermittent circuit-closer is at the same time released, and the lamp thereupon acts to produce the gradual feed of the carbons in the ordinary way, the intermittent closing of the derived circuit not being sufficient, while the arc-resistance is normal, to materially affect the operation. When the intermittently-closed circuit forms also the safety or branch circuit for the apparatus, and said derived circuit contains artificial resistances, considerable heating may be produced when it is called upon to perform its function of a safety or branch circuit. Injurious heating to the contact of the carbons, a

through them for cal power.

effects may be avoided by any of the wellknown arrangements for allowing the ready dissipation of the heat evolved, or by constructing such resistance of a material that cannot be readily injured by heat.

lVe have described our invention as applied to an electric lamp, that being the class of electrical devices with which safety cut-outs are most largely employed; but we do not limit ourselves to such application, and may employ the arrangement of circuits and apparatus herein described in connection with other devices for translating electricity into some other form of energy-such for instance, as mechani- In any case the general combination would be the same, and would embrace an 'electro-magnet in the main or principal circuit with the apparatus or the portion of the apparatus the accidental derangement of which might affect the general circuit, means for i11- termittently closing a derived or shunt circuit around said apparatus and electro-magnet, the latter being arranged to control directly or indirectly a circuit branch or safety which shall afford a continuous path for the current independent of that through the deranged apparatus offering an abnormally-high resistance.

That we claim as our invention is 1. An automatic cut-out apparatus for an electric lamp or other translating device. comprising a controlling electro-magnet in circuit with the lamp or such portion thereof as is liable. to interrupt the flow of current on the general circuit, a branch circuit affording a continuous path forthe current around the lamp in case of derangement, and means for intermittently diverting current from the electro-magnet and such portions of the lamp or other apparatus as are liable by a derangement to interfere with the flow of current upon the general circuit, as and for the purpose de scribed.

2-. The combination, substantially as described, of an electro-magnet in the main circuit with the carbons, an intermittent circuitcloser for intermittently and momentarily completing a branch around the electro-magnet and carbons, and means for holding said circuit-closer at the circuit-closing point when the maincircuit electro-magnet is weakened to a predetermined degree, owing to an abnormal resistance in the carbon-circuit.

3. In an electric lamp, aperiodically-closed short-circuiting branch, in combination with means for holding said branch closed to form a continuing circuit around the arc of the lamp in case of abnormal resistance on the arc branch, substantially as described.

4. In a cut-out for an electric lamp, an electro-magnet in the same branch or circuit with the carbons, in combination with a normallyopen shunt around said electro-magnet and the arc, and means whereby said shunt may be closed to cause the operation of said electro-magnet to effect a continued short-circuiting of the lamp.

5. In a cut-out for an electric lamp, and in combination with the arc branch or circuit, an electro-niagnet therein, an armature therefor which in a retracted position causes the short circuiting of the lamp, and a normally-open branch around the electro-magnet and arc, which effects the retraction of said armature, if closed, when the resistance of the are is abnormally great.

6. In an electric lamp, the combination of an electro-magnet in the arc branch or circuit, an armature therefor, a normally-open shunt, as specified, and a circuit-closer for closing the same provided with a stop so arranged that inthe retracted position of the armature of the electro-magnet in the arc branch or circuit the circuit-closer will be arrested to retain the normally-open branch closed, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 13th day of August, A. D. 1883.

CHARLES L. BUGKINGHAM. HENRY O. TOIVNSEND.

W'itnesses:

THos. TooMEY, M. ill. FRIEND. 

